the interconnected world: is your workplace ready? · headquarters (p. 12), home to many mobile...

Creating workplaces for wellbeing

Smart companies are using the workplace to nurture the wellbeing of their workers, and reaping real benefits.

Issue 62

Exploring workplace research, insights, and trends

360.steelcase.com

Q&A with Daniel Pink

A conversation with the best-selling author of A Whole New Mind and Drive.

Un/tethered

Mobility changes where and how we work in eight interesting ways.

The InTerConneCTeD WorlD:GlobAl, MobIle, 24/7

Is yoUr WorkPlACe reADy?

34.9%of the global

workforce will be mobile in 2013

2 billionconnected to the internet

7 billionpeople in the world

in 2011

360.steelcase.com | Issue 62 | 1

The world is more interconnected than ever. We’re all world citizens now. Events across the globe instantly affect our personal and work lives. Or more accurately, our now-combined work/life. Alternative work strategies that are designed for the diverse ways we work today are now in place at a majority of companies, according to the latest Steelcase/CoreNet Global survey, and more are adopting them every day. This is how work gets done today: global, mobile, 24/7. In this issue, we explain how the workplace can help people and organizations thrive in our accelerated, interconnected world.

countries withmore computers

than people: australia canada Japan sweden

247 billione-mails sent

per day

AboUT ThIS ISSuE

Cover photograph: ©iStockphoto.com/mikefahnestock

how

CAn soMeThInG so sMAll,

reshAPe The WAys TeAMs CollAborATe?

steelcase.com/Msmini


360 Magazine is published quarterly by Steelcase Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright 2011. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form unless you really want to help people love how they work – just ask us first, okay. Contact us at [email protected].

12 Is your workplace ready for the interconnected world?

When work is global, mobile and 24/7, the workplace can help organizations survive and thrive.

7 Think® Art

This exhibit features fun and creative interpretations of the Think chair by artists in China, India and Singapore.

32 Creating workplaces for wellbeing

Smart companies are using the workplace to nurture the wellbeing of their workers, and reaping real benefits.

44 Putting healthcare in a better place

New user-centered insights lead to innovative healthcare environments that provide higher quality care.

54 Un/tethered

According to new research, where and how we work is changing in at least eight interesting ways.

JoIn ThE CONvErSATION

Connect with Steelcase via social media and let us know what you’re thinking.

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4 Perspectives

10 Trends360

30 Lessons Learned

49 Sustainability Spotlight

50 Q&A 61 Atoms & Bits

ConTenTs

732

4 | Issue 62 | 360.steelcase.com

Meet some of the people from Steelcase who contributed information and ideas to this issue.

PersPeCTIves

Emily ulrich

WorkSpace Futures researcher Emily ulrich lives her work. From her home north of San Francisco, she’s helping to steer Coalesse’s European live/work research to further understand the interconnected, global, mobile workstyle. This follows last year’s research observing mobile workers in San Francisco and New York, which informed the article on untethered workstyles (p. 55). She emphasizes that large research projects like this are always informed by Steelcase’s body of knowledge. “It’s a collective learning process; I engage my colleagues around work they’ve done and put a different lens on their research to examine and apply it in new ways,” she says.

Julie Barnhart-hoffman

“Whenever we’ve built spaces where people can work as truly mobile workers, I expected people would be more reluctant to let go of their personal, dedicated spaces. Yet the vast majority of people who go mobile feel that having a variety of places to work actually empowers them, and they wouldn’t go back,” says Barnhart-hoffman, a design principal with Steelcase’s WorkSpace Futures group and one of the lead designers for a newly designed, experimental space at Steelcase’s new global headquarters (p. 12), home to

many mobile workers. Barnhart-hoffman’s focus is behavioral prototyping, leveraging her interior design background, integrating research and observations to create better experiences for users. A recent project: helping Stanford university’s d.school create better learning spaces. “Our personal and work lives are so intertwined, and people have different expectations now. We rely on social bonds with others and those connections can be enabled by their environments. There’s a lot to be discovered yet, a lot of new ways we can make an impact.”

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Ive

s


John hughes

A principal of Steelcase’s Applied research & Consulting group (ArC), the work and workplace consultancy, hughes explains that “we help companies leverage their work environment to measurably increase the performance of the organization. Steelcase has a keen understanding of work and the workplace, and we bring that perspective to each client engagement.” hughes consults with Fortune 1000 companies and their design professionals around the world, and recently helped a global telecomm implement a mobile work strategy in a facility in Istanbul, Turkey. “While there are cultural differences from country to country, there is tremendous interest by major corporations around the world in one or another form of mobile work, and the goals are the same: increased worker satisfaction, higher levels of productivity, and reduced real estate costs.” hughes led the ArC team that helped Steelcase rewrite their workplace strategy and prepare for a new global headquarters (p. 25).

Caroline Kelly

healthcare facilities have some of the most technology-intensive work environments around, says Kelly, a specialist in human-centered design research of healthcare delivery environments. “Technology can overwhelm patients, families, and at times even caregivers. The design of the environment can help keep technology from being so overwhelming, and help

healthcare providers provide the safest, most effective and efficient patient care.” Kelly has studied the effects of the design of a breakroom on healthcare staff rest and rejuvenation, and is now conducting ongoing research with university of Kentucky healthCare on the design of a fast-track space for low-acuity emergency patients. her research also helped form innovative new design principles (p. 44) for acute care hospital settings.

Pe

rs

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Ive

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Taking ideas…and bags To new heighTs.

InTroDUCInG The neW AnsWer. An unparalleled range of applications, aesthetics, technology support and ownership adaptability, Answer is designed with built-in flexibility and interconnectivity for today’s ever-evolving workplace.

Answer® Solutions


ThInk® ArT

Designers, photographers, architects, and artists worked in an unexpected medium — the Think chair — as part of a recent exhibition hosted by Steelcase Asia Pacific. Think Art featured works from China, India, and Singapore, with the goal of highlighting talent in various communitities and fostering a greater appreciation for creativity and individualism.

PhoTo ESSAY


Steelcase invited a number of top designers and artists to expand the concept of seating, with highly individual interpretations of Think chairs that blend aesthetics and functionality. The event, intended to inspire thinking about work environments that are fun and creative, featured the reinterpreted Think chairs highlighting the various regions’ dynamic creative energy.

“Steelcase is delighted to be able to provide a platform to foster design talent and, at the same time, to meet the growing needs of the next generation of workers, blending the perfect balance of design aesthetic and functionality,” said uli Gwinner, president of Steelcase Asia Pacific.

Think Art exhibits have been featured in Bangalore, Gurgaon, Singapore, Beijing, Tokyo, and Shanghai. °


To see more, visit: steelcase.com/en/products/category/seating/task/think/pages/think-art-exhibition.aspx


More CroWDeD

The world is getting downright cozy, with the population growing even more than expected. By 2100, there will be 10.1 billion people, according to a new report released from the united Nations. The u.S., growing faster than many countries due to immigration, is expected to grow from 311 million today to 478 million by century’s end. China, on the other hand, should experience population decline after peaking at 1.4 billion in a few decades, then falling to a mere 941 million by 2100.

ProvInG sPACe MATTers

Scientists studying how architecture and design can influence mood, thoughts, and health have discovered that everything — from the quality of a view to the height of a ceiling, from the wall color to the furniture — shapes how we think.

One study done by researchers at Ohio State university and the National Institute of health tracked white-collar workers at a government facility. Some were randomly assigned to work in an old office building with low ceilings and noisy air conditioners; others worked in a recently renovated space with skylights and open workstations. After tracking various metrics of wellbeing for 17 months, researchers found that those working in the old building were significantly more stressed, at work and away from it — enough to have a higher risk for heart disease.

Tr

en

Ds

360

TrenDs360

CAn yoU heAr Me noW?

Though mobile service can still suck in Manhattan or Madrid, on remote Mount Everest you can now call home, check voicemail, or text. With more than 2 million more cell phone users every day, we're more connected than ever — wherever we are.


AIrPorTs As hoMe?

As the world becomes more interconnected, airports are becoming cities and “cities may be places to leave from more than to live in,” speculates author Pico Iyer in Time magazine.

Case in point: the community that formed around the Dallas-Fort Worth airport has a name: the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. It’s now home to 6 million people and the fastest-growing city in the u.S. Other signs of the times: Dubai International will have capacity for 75 million passengers by 2015, and Beijing Capital International offers a “global kitchen” with 72 food shops.

Tr

en

Ds

360

UrbAn shIfTInG

half of the world’s population lives in cities — for the first time in history. Prosperity is shifting, too. Within the next 15 years, at least one-third of today’s top 600 cities, where businesses currently thrive, will drop off the list of world economic giants. They’ll be replaced by cities in the developing world, especially China, says the McKinsey Global Institute.

MAke WAy for The MIDDle ClAss

What’s more, says McKinsey, during the next decade the world’s middle class will double in proportion — from 20% today to 40% by 2020.

DeATh of The enCyCloPeDIA sAlesMAn

In just 10 years Wikipedia has grown to more than 16.5 million articles in more than 250 languages. It gets more than 400 million visits each month.

Is yoUr WorkPlACe reADy for The InTerConneCTeD WorlD?


Can it handle the global, mobile, nonstop reality of business today? because that’s the new reality for globally integrated enterprises. business is increasingly a team sport that leverages technology to cross borders and time zones. Work is more interconnected and more complex than ever. our work environment is the pivotal place for helping us navigate this new business world.

This new workplace must address the diverse ways people are working today. It must support enhanced collaboration, the essence of knowledge work. It needs to inspire and attract people to work at the office instead of the coffee shop. It should nurture personal wellbeing, and leverage organizational culture and the company’s brand. Overall, this workplace must make the most of every square inch of an organization’s real estate.

“There’s no company that isn’t struggling with this new business environment. Everywhere, resources are stretched thin from downsizing and a struggling economy. Business issues are more complex than just a few years ago, more organizations are working on a global platform,

and every company needs its employees, along with every other corporate asset, to do more than ever,” says John hughes, principal of Applied research & Consulting, the global Steelcase consultancy on work and workplace.

The fact is, as companies wrestle with these issues, the workplace can be a key strategic tool: interconnected, collaborative, inspirational. A work environment designed to support people, and the flow of information and enhanced collaboration, can actually help a company solve tough business problems, build market share, and stay competitive. In other words, an interconnected workplace for an interconnected world.


At Skype, globally interconnected employees use media:scape and Skype Group video service to collaborate with colleagues distributed around the world.

disruptive technologies emerging today

drive changes in the ways we work.


oPTIMIze every sQUAre fooT

of real estate

enhAnCe CollAborATIon

as a natural way of working

ATTrACT, DeveloP, AnD enGAGe

great talent; people really want to work there

bUIlD The CoMPAny brAnD

and culture

helP IMProve

a person’s wellbeing

What does an interconnected workplace look and feel like? Like the new, innovative headquarters building for Skype, the global Internet communications pioneer. Or the ultra-collaborative workplace for Infragistics, the world leader in user interface software development tools. And the new home for a blend of both resident and mobile workers at Steelcase’s global headquarters. On opposite sides of the united States, the two technology companies meet at the frontier of workplace reinvention fueled by a need to constantly innovate and attract the best talent in the industry. The new Steelcase space is not only a home for employees but also a laboratory to test and measure concepts and solutions designed for globally integrated enterprises. All three of these companies embrace the five characteristics of an interconnected workplace in ways that make them their own.

An InTerConneCTeD WorkPlACe WIll:



Living their brand: Skype employees stay connected and engaged while they gather over lunch in the company’s cafe.

55% - Salary 37% - Quality of Work Environment 33% - Flexibility to work outside the

office or at home

29% - relationship with line manager 28% - Being able to determine how

work gets done

Skype Living Workplace Survey, 2011

ToP 5 fACTors DeTerMInInG Job sATIsfACTIon


A “wow factor” throughout Infragistic’s new workplace in Canbury, New Jersey, helps attract and keep top talent.

ATTrACT, DeveloP, AnD enGAGePeoPle reAlly WAnT To Work here.

Imagine you’re a talented software engineer. You could find work in Silicon valley, London, Amsterdam, anywhere really. Why choose a company in Cranbury, New Jersey?

Simple. The company has one of the most collaborative, welcoming, and energizing work environments in the business. With offices in the united Kingdom, Bulgaria, uruguay, Japan, and India, Infragistics is a globally integrated enterprise that must attract the very best talent everywhere in the world.

Going up against high-tech hotspots, “we needed the best workplace experience,” says Dean Guida, CEO of Infragistics, the software interface experience company. “A place that’s spacious, promotes collaboration, a place where you feel good. Along with the people and the projects we work on, the space is what’s exciting and part of the attraction. We wanted a place that creates a ’Wow!’ experience for everyone who enters the building.”

Skype vies for top technology talent, too — throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. Its new location in Palo Alto, California, is just down the street from major technology firms like hP, Google, and Cisco, all striving to attract and engage the best thinkers in the industry.Skype’s holistic approach recognizes the need for a workplace that’s as functional as it is

friendly, and uses their own products to help staff work remotely to balance work and life as well as help them connect with colleagues all over the world.

Every day at lunchtime, Skype workers stream into the café for a catered lunch where engineers, marketers, public relations and IT staffers mix good food with conversation that shifts seamlessly from personal life to business and back. Perched on a stool at the central counter, one Skype engineer chatted over souvlaki about how collegial the company feels – almost like family. “I like coming to work here because it’s such a great atmosphere. But I also appreciate that I can work from home when I need to and use Skype for meetings or a quick chat. I used to work in a place where they expected you to be in the office all the time, but I have a wife and two kids and only one car, so that was really tough. I like this a lot better.”

Skype’s facility manager for u.S. and Asia Pacific, Dena Quinn continually considers the company’s space and its relationship to the wellbeing of its employees. Shifting rapidly between tasks, Quinn represents a new breed of facility manager who think not only about the physical environment but the entire work experience, making sure employees are happy and productive.

Skype doesn’t do these things because they hope it will attract talent. They know it will.

Their Living Workplace Survey, a recent poll of tech users and decision makers in the u.S., measured how companies are using workspace and technology to engage with highly sought-after tech pros:

62% of firms say about a third of their employees spend 40% of their time working remotely

decision makers say flexible and remote work options help them attract the best talent and keep them on staff

the top three factors determining job satisfaction are salary (identified by 55% of respondents), the quality of the work environment (37%), and flexibility to work outside the office or at home (33%)

“We built a place that attracts and nurtures the kind of people we need. That includes a workplace that supports different ways of working, services that help people balance their work and personal lives, like remote work and free lunches, and enough flexibility in the furniture and systems to adapt to changes in business,” says Quinn. “People really like working here, and they can tell what kind of place it is within minutes of walking in. When potential recruits take a tour, they understand that we’re a global company driven by collaboration and innovation. We hear a lot of them say, ’Yup, I could definitely work here.’”


An exPlorATIon: sTeelCAse sTUDIes sPACes for An InTerConneCTeD WorlD

Open, collaborative destinations help employees socialize, work, and build community.

We/Shared

Mobile workers who want to re-engage with colleagues gather for informal collaboration.

We/Shared

Technology is integrated in the furniture to help teams keep eyes-to-eyes, and eyes-to-information.

We/Owned

Designed as a retreat from activity on the floor, this space is ideal for focused work or just relaxing.

We/Shared


CollAborATeGroUP hUG, MAybe. GroUP Work, DefInITely.

Team work is the essence of knowledge work, and, at its core, knowledge work is four activities: learning, socializing, collaborating, and focused work. Three of those involve two or more people in creating, evaluating, and building on knowledge to generate new ideas and creative solutions. (See page 20.)

Innovation is the result of collaboration, but not just any kind of collaboration. routine coordination, such as giving someone an update on a project, is an important bit of team work. But the kind of collaboration that gets you breakthrough ideas, comes from people working together specifically to solve problems, and develop new insights and solutions.

“Collaboration is an iterative, rolling, often very informal process,” says Julie Barnhart-hoffman, design principal with WorkSpace Futures, the Steelcase research and design group. “Collaboration relies on social networks, informal connections, how many interactions you have during the day. The variety and type of spaces where you work — workstations, hallways, cafés, team spaces, lounge areas, etc. — have an impact on how well you collaborate.”

Collaboration is part of the design DNA of an interconnected workplace. For example, the Steelcase space originally had a building core of conference rooms and utility space that separated the two sides of the floor. “We removed a third of that core to open it up and eliminate the our side/their side feel,” says Barnhart-hoffman. In its place went a community café with lounge, eating, and meeting spaces. “It’s a very social space that will create a lot of buzz, build community, and create a whole lot of collaboration.”

An analysis of the work and work styles of the three departments in the space (finance, sourcing, and quality) identified nomads (mobile workers), nomadic techs (mobile technical workers), and residents, and provided specific types of individual and collaborative spaces. The only employees with dedicated workstations, residents, also have a few unassigned workstations mixed in so visiting mobile workers can engage with them. residents also have access to all the spaces, including the spaces designed for visitors. Nomads have “camps” of unassigned workspaces in different configurations, media:scape® collaborative worksettings, and a mix of other group work spaces. Benching workstations support teams who need to work together.

Forget one-size-fits-no-one standards: “If you want people to collaborate, you have to give them a range of workspace options,” says Barnhart-hoffman.

resident workers stand at height- adjustable tables that allow them to change postures during task-intensive work.

I/Owned

Mobile workers have a choice of settings, including benches where they connect and collaborate with team mates.

We/Shared

Workplaces designed for an interconnected world offer the right blend of spaces and solutions to support the ways people work.

A PAleTTe of PlACes


why collaboration gets all the buzz

Collaboration is critical, trending up right now, and unlikely to fade. here’s why: Whatever your job, you work pretty much like other knowledge workers. Whether you’re a project manager, purchasing agent, or partner in a law firm, you build and share knowledge through just four ways of working, or as researchers phrase them, work modes:

focusing – Time spent thinking, studying, contemplating, strategizing, processing, and other heads-down uninterrupted work. (Okay, the uninterrupted part is the ideal.)

Collaborating – Working with others collectively to create content, brainstorming, etc. Ideally, all perspectives are valued and brought together to leverage a group’s shared mind.

learning – Basically, building knowledge. It happens best when individuals build on each other's knowledge. Learning is accelerated when thinking is made visible and shared with others.

socializing – how knowledge becomes ingrained in the organization. As people socialize and work with others, they learn together and build trust, essential ingredients for innovation.

Ikujiro Nonaka and hirotaka Takeuchi described this process in a groundbreaking report, “The Knowledge Creating Company,” about 20 years ago, but many companies are just learning the value of their work. One more thing from that research: there are two types of knowledge, explicit and tacit. Explicit knowledge is the formal, systematic information you find in documents, procedures, manuals. Tacit knowledge, on the other hand, is personal and difficult to formalize. It’s not written down anywhere. Instead it’s communicated indirectly through personal stories, helpful shortcuts, shared insights. These secrets get shared only when people establish a trust relationship over time.

And the process that establishes trust, build relationships, and ultimately accomplishes three of the essential four work modes is collaboration.

That’s knowledge worth sharing with someone else. °

if you want people tocollaborate

you have to give them controlover where they work

and how they work


Team spaces at Infragistics have a different spin on the same idea: 120-degree worksurfaces inside a Post and Beam frame create spaces called “pods.” hanging whiteboards and curtains create a sense of enclosure for teams of four to six people. When workers want to expand a pod to include others, they simply draw back the curtains, move some whiteboards, and the space opens to the next pod, or two pods, or three...

Collaboration worksettings scattered throughout the Infragistics office take a variety of forms:

open meeting areas with different mixes of chairs, tables, and writing surfaces

three different media:scape collaborative worksettings

a “now showing” room with lounge seating and a big screen for displaying company products

a breakfast/refreshment bar with a pool table, lounge seating, and a railing that overlooks the first-floor dining area

“phone-booths” for private work

libraries, small huddle rooms for small groups, and a variety of outdoor work areas

Over at Skype, their “scrum development” work process depends on iterative idea generation through collaboration, so they offer open and enclosed spaces for group work as well as media:scape settings for distributed or local collaboration. “Different spaces let you collaborate in different ways,” says Quinn.

Distributed collaboration used to be one of those “different” ways. Now it’s increasingly common as companies enter new markets, offshore work, and operate around the globe. videoconferencing has become as easy as making a phone conference call (thanks to companies such as Skype), and file sharing between distributed team members is now routine. To deal with the distance,

the workplaces at Skype, Infragistics, and Steelcase each include wi-fi everywhere, small spaces for holding video chats so the noise doesn’t bleed into other parts of the office, and media:scape collaborative worksettings that allow multiple users to display content and work on it together. Distributed teams can work as effectively as co-located teams by using media:scape with high-definition videoconferencing or Skype videoconferencing.

Distributed collaboration not only connects workers in Denver with partners in Prague, it also supplements in-person collaboration and helps cement relationships. Our basic need to connect with the people we work with is fed by technology for texting and phoning, whether we’re separated by thousands of miles or just a few feet of carpet. Barnhart-hoffman calls it “a quiet, collaborative backstage, a continual information flow that leads to more iterative and spontaneous collaboration.”

Team “pods” at Infragistics create a sense of enclosure but can expand by simply drawing back the curtains.


Spontaneous collaboration can sometimes be the best kind, so Infragistics provides plenty of spaces for it to happen throughout the workplace.

3%lACk of effeCTIve

sPACe In TheIroWn fACIlITy

29%reDUCes CArbon

fooTPrInT

49%Work/lIfe bAlAnCe

31%sUPPorTs

reAl esTATereDUCTIon

29%sUPPorTs CreATIve

Work

35%reDUCes CoMMUTe

TIMe

32%Do noT

sUPPorT

Why CoMPAnIes sUPPorT AlTernATIve Work sTrATeGIes

Source: Steelcase/CoreNet Global survey 2011

Just as people needa variety of workspaces

for collaboration,they also need theautonomy

to select where and howthey work best.


WellbeInGThe offICe CAn ACTUAlly MAke yoU feel beTTer.

For many, wellbeing in the workplace means physical health: ergonomic furniture, a fitness center, healthy choices in the cafeteria, etc. All good stuff. But now, many organizations are thinking about wellbeing more holistically, considering a range of dimensions such as cognitive, emotional, social, and financial, to name a few. That’s part of what Infragistics CEO Guida means by a “Wow!” experience. It’s why their new office is flooded with natural light (a boost for everyone’s wellbeing), includes green plant oases and aquariums, and has a pool table, pizza oven, and other amenities that help encourage interactions and, in turn, build an atmosphere of belonging and collegiality.

Just as people need a variety of different workspaces for collaboration, they also need the autonomy to select where and how they work best. Sometimes it’s a quiet place to concentrate, sometimes a place to meet, or just a more stimulating place to get through a lethargic afternoon. “Allowing people to choose how and where they work, and providing those options on site saves time, makes people more productive, and leads to a more satisfying work/life,” says Barnhart-hoffman.

research backs this up. A recent study conducted by Ohio State university and the National Institute of Mental health in the u.S., shows that the physical work environment dramatically influences emotional and physical wellbeing. Workers in an old-style office space with low ceilings, rows of cubicles, limited natural light, noisy air handling, and unattractive views had significantly higher levels of stress hormones and heart-rate variability than workers in more open, spacious, well-lit offices. And these rates stayed high even when workers were at home. The researchers concluded that a bad work environment may actually be a risk factor for heart disease.

“Knowledge work is basically a self-directed process, and people want to choose how and where they work. Work environments where they can make those choices are more intellectually, emotionally, and psychologically fulfilling,” says Barnhart-hoffman.

An overall view of wellbeing has become a recognized strategy for attracting and retaining people, helping them achieve better health and a better work/life balance. In fact, in a new study conducted by Steelcase together with CoreNet Global, an improved work/life balance is the top reason why companies offer alternative work strategies such as home offices, mobile work, and telecommuting.

Nearly half (49%) said it’s the reason their company supports these alternative ways of working. Other reasons include reducing commute time (listed by 35% of respondents), supporting real estate compression (31%), reducing carbon footprint (29%), and supporting creative work (29%). About a third, 32%, said they do not support employees working in third places.

The study found that companies are using a range of alternative work strategies to support the predominance of mobile and collaborative work today. The most common are home offices, supporting mobile work from multiple workspaces, and shared or free-address workspaces. Over half of the survey’s respondents, 58%, say these arrangements are available to anyone in the organization if their manager agrees, and 16% say these work styles are open to anyone in their company.

a bad work environment may

actually be a risk factor for heart disease.

Workers feel a sense of community and connection in the newly designed space at Steelcase headquarters.


“ Yup, I could definitely work here.” Worksettings at Skype support a “scrum development” process that’s fundamental for their culture of innovation.

brAnD AnD CUlTUreThe WorkPlACe is The CoMPAny.

Nothing manifests a company’s brand and organizational culture like the workplace. “Go into any office in any part of the world and within minutes you can sense what that company is all about,” says Steelcase’s John hughes. “Everyone who comes into the work environment — customers, vendors, board members, new recruits, the media — the people a company most wants to influence, get a clear impression about the company: what it holds dear, how it operates, what it celebrates. Do they come away with a clear understanding of your brand, how you deliver on your brand promise, and what this means to employees? If they don’t, you’re missing a huge opportunity and you’re not really leveraging your real estate.”

Enter the Skype headquarters and you can’t miss the value of space in communicating brand and culture. here the message is clear: We’re a global company that collaborates constantly, regardless of time zones or locations. New ideas are our currency, our workstyle is informal but hardworking. This is a hip, forward-thinking workplace and company.

At Infragistics, their headquarters may be located in New Jersey, but this office says Silicon valley entrepreneurism: it’s an energetic, cool space where collaboration

rules, technology is readily available, and colleagues rub shoulders in person and over great distances, all day long.

Steelcase uses its new workplace to both build and communicate its brand and culture. On the eve of its 100th anniversary, the company wanted its headquarters to be a catalyst for reinventing how it uses space. “This is our culture and brand: understanding what it means to have a globally interconnected workplace, and acquiring the knowledge and insights we can share with our customers as they struggle with the same issues in their workplaces,” says Nancy hickey, senior vice president and chief administrative officer.

In keeping with the company’s mission, the new space for the finance, sourcing, and quality departments is also a behavioral prototype, a testing ground for the latest thinking. “We’ve built an environment for this group based on what we’ve learned about the workplace, and it’s very different from what they’re used to,” says Barnhart-hoffman. “But if you give people the same environment they’ve always known, you’ll get pretty much the same work behaviors, the same work processes. When you mix it up, give them new environments and tools and new ways to use them, you get change, and that leads to more insights.”

nothing manifests a company’s

brand and organizational

culture like the workplace.


how steelcase is rethinking

the workplaceThe Steelcase headquarters building opened in 1983, when an office meant bulky computers, high panels, and long rows of lateral files. Digital storage, cell phones, and the mobile workforce were a long way off.

The building’s five floors and 360,000 square feet were selectively reconfigured, renovated, and repurposed over the years, but now the company’s Connect 12 project (named for the year the building renovation is complete, and how the building reconnects previously scattered departments) has provoked a careful reexamination of Steelcase’s global headquarters and the company’s overall workplace strategy.

The company applied the same tools and methods it uses with clients and design professionals, meaning a focus that is first and foremost about the user. The Steelcase Applied research & Consulting group engaged its user-centered consulting methodology to help develop the strategy. Steelcase Workplace Surveys and sensor studies assessed needs for collaboration and concentration, mobility, privacy, adjacencies, storage, etc. The consultants analyzed workers’ informal networks, gauged worker satisfaction with their current work environment, and sought input on the types of workspaces needed now and in the future.

“We always work with clients to determine the specific behaviors that support the company’s unique culture,” says John hughes, leader of the ArC engagement with Steelcase. “Steelcase is a collaborative,

collegial organization, and it’s increasingly global and mobile. how can space best support local and distributed collaboration? how do you nurture communication, idea sharing, and other behaviors that foster innovation? For starters, you give people an environment that’s open and inviting, where discussion is encouraged, where random encounters lead to more idea sharing, and spaces where people can easily work together.”

ArC consultants led workshops designed to engage users in various experiences, such as mapping current situations to visualize the future. users helped develop solutions through co-design exercises and evaluation of new work concepts and approaches. “Not only do you get better insights and ideas this way, but you get better organizational buy-in,” says hughes. The result was workplace design strategies that reflect the ways people really work today and how they need to work in the future.

“When this building was designed, business was quite different, our company was different,” says Nancy hickey, senior vice president and chief administrative officer for Steelcase. “We’re no longer a 9-to-5 organization. We have a new generation in the workplace, new attitudes and workstyles, new technology, new furniture and applications. This is a new interconnected workplace for a new interconnected world.” °

when you give people new environments,

new tools, and new ways to use them, you get

change, and that leads to innovation.


Sharing content with coworkers near and far is always just one puck click away at Skype.


c:scape benches allow Skype employees to shift easily between focused work and collaboration, and the efficient footprint leaves plenty of space for group collaborative work.

MAxIMIze reAl esTATenoT JUsT shrInkInG — reThInkInG.

The average workstation footprint has been getting smaller for a few years now, a response to the new world we work in: more mobility, more collective work, increasing use of group spaces. The trend shows no sign of slacking: according to a new survey about real estate utilization, conducted by Steelcase and CoreNet Global, 80% of those surveyed expect to contract their space per employee to some degree, most commonly a reduction of about 10%.

What happens to the real estate carved out of individual workstation footprints? Some is subleased or rented out. Other companies move to a smaller office. What’s important is to understand what the right balance is of individual work spaces and shared spaces. Creating the right spaces is about understanding the range of options that help people work most effectively. Simply shrinking your real estate footprint, like putting yourself on a crash diet, just makes you thinner, not better. “Compression alone has limited benefits. If you treat your real

estate like an asset, you don’t just shrink, you rethink the space to help people work in an interconnected world,” says hughes.

More companies seem to be catching the drift. In the CoreNet/Steelcase survey, 57% of companies say they reconfigure individual space to accommodate team spaces, and 41% say they create cafés, meeting spaces, and other alternative work-settings. Most companies take a variety of approaches (which accounts for the percentages totaling more than 100%).

Steelcase’s new workplace shrinks the average individual workspace, uses benching for on-demand worksettings, and creates more collaborative spaces: neighborhoods, team hubs, free-address work areas, media:scape settings, a library, as well as the café space that joins the two sides of the floor. The space accommodates more people than before and provides more options for where and how to work. Even employees with smaller dedicated workspaces (just 39 sq. ft./3.6 sq. m.) have more functional space; their worksurface, chair, and monitor arm adjust to individual comfort and preference.

compressionalone has limited

benefits.



Creating workplaces for an interconnected world allows companies to stop reacting to volatile and uncertain markets and instead focus on the connection, collaboration, and inspiration businesses need to innovate today.

At Skype’s Palo Alto location, 80% of the workforce is engineers, and they’re developing the company’s next generation products at open workbenches designed specifically to support serious technology use: extra-long worksurfaces with monitor arms that position big flat screens as needed, and adjustable screens so they can balance individual privacy, not to mention a bevy of collaboration spaces just past the end of their desk. “People came in on day one, sat down, and started to work. This space makes you take notice. It delights people. It supports our company’s expectations of high productivity. It has a fast feel to it,” says Quinn. At a company poised to grow, “this place is really attracting talent.”

The Infragistics space has even been featured in an IT trade publication as an “ideal workplace” because of the way it supports collaboration and the culture of the organization. visitors get it right away. “From day one, employees couldn’t believe this place,” says Guida. “People are blown away. ‘There’s nothing like this!’ is something I hear all the time. Customers are more confident in doing business with us. Everyone — customers, vendors, partners — says they want to come to work here.”

Ask your own staff and leadership: where do they want to work in the new, interconnected world? °

57% - reconfigured to accomodate team spaces 48% - Sold/Moved to a smaller more efficient space 44% - Subleased/rented 41% - reconfigured to accomodate alternative settings (café, meeting spaces, etc.)

80%of companiesplan to

contractspace-per-employee.

sPACe sAvInGs: WhAT CoMPAnIes Do AfTer shrInkInG InDIvIDUAl sPACes.

Source: Steelcase/CoreNet Global survey 2011


reshAPInG The CollAborATIve exPerIenCe

media:scape boosts collaboration and helps teams excel. Scan the code to learn more,or visit steelcase.com/mediascape.

media:scape™ with hD videoconferencing


GeT ConneCTeD

The world is interconnected, global, and mobile, and calls for an interconnected workplace, one that does five things very well: supports collaboration, nurtures worker wellbeing, exemplifies company brand and culture, helps attract, develop and engage talent, and makes every square foot of real estate work harder than ever.

reInvesT reAl esTATe

If you shrink individual workstations, reinvest space savings in shared spaces: team and project rooms, lounge and café spaces for collaboration, huddle rooms where small groups and individuals can work privately, project space, places to display work in progress, etc.

A synthesis of insights about the workplace in a global, mobile, interconnected world.

shAre AnD shAre AlIke

Since workers are so mobile and work so collaboratively, offer a range of settings that support co-located teams and alternative work strategies: free-address spaces, nondedicated meeting rooms, private rooms for videoconferencing, etc.

WhAT Do Workers WAnT?

Skype invested in a high-end café. Infragistics meetings spaces all have writeable walls. Everyone has different desires, but most want natural light, places and tools to help formal and informal collaboration, a place for concentrated work, and, most important: the ability to choose how you work.

lessons LEArNED

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GlobAl sTrATeGy, loCAl ACCenT

You can build a global workplace strategy, but be prepared to accommodate local cultural norms. Example: Europeans have long embraced benching; North Americans used to private offices and larger workstations need time and perhaps transitional steps to work comfortably at the bench.

for everyone’s WellbeInG

Workspace profoundly affects the physical, cognitive, and emotional wellbeing of everyone in the organization. Keep that in mind when you consider lighting, ergonomics, acoustics, sustainability, access to privacy, a range of worksetting options, etc.

lIve yoUr brAnD

Branding is more than logos and colors. It’s about providing spaces for the ways people work, what the organization values, and the behaviors needed to achieve the company mission. Space shapes behavior and that, in turn, forms the company brand and legacy.

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humana has a unique definition of wellbeing: Living happily with a balanced sense of purpose, belonging, security, and health.

8%gallup studies show that only 8% of employees

at companies they’ve studied strongly agree that they have higher overall wellbeing

because of their employer.


Especially for knowledge workers, over-the-top complexity has given rise to a host of under-met human needs. That’s a big and growing problem, not just for individuals but also for the organizations that employ them. It’s not just the economy that needs to recover; the wellbeing of the workforce needs recovery, too.

“Every person’s wellbeing is critical to achieving an organization’s goals and fulfilling its mission,” say Gallup researchers and authors Tom rath and Jim harter. “Every day in your organization, people don’t show up, don’t give their best effort, erode your productivity, and cost you millions of dollars because of poor mental and physical health.”

During the past decade, Gallup has worked with hundreds of organizations to help boost engagement and improve the wellbeing of their workforces. Gallup studies show that only 8% of employees at companies they’ve studied strongly agree that they have higher overall wellbeing because of their employer, and the majority think that their job is a detriment to their overall wellbeing.

No wonder a growing number of companies is looking closely at steps their organizations can take to improve worker wellbeing and, in so doing, capture measurable gains for their businesses.

One organization that’s leading the way is humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky and one of America’s emerging leaders in wellbeing. While it’s predictable that any company in the healthcare industry would pay attention to health, humana has chosen to tackle wellbeing in the broadest possible way.

After working with Gallup and conducting extensive consumer research on their own, humana landed on a unique definition of wellbeing that they believe is equally relevant for their employees and their customers: “Living happily with a balanced sense of purpose, belonging, security, and health.” Each of the four pillars of their definition encompasses the workplace — and goes beyond it. “Security,” for example, includes financial and environmental security, among other things. Even the pillar of health is defined broadly: physical, emotional, and spiritual.

CreATInG WorkPlACes for WellbeInGFor employers all over the world, wellbeing is gaining attention fast as a business issue — for good reason.


With 36,000 employees at over 1,000 locations throughout the united States and in Puerto rico, implementing a holistic program of employee wellbeing has been no small effort and it still involves a lot of testing and trying. But humana leaders have no doubt that this is an important path to be on.

humana’s interest in wellbeing is knitted to facts that relate specifically to their business and directly affect them just like any other u.S. employer: the cost of health care is too high, it’s been rising at an unsustainable rate, and people who report low wellbeing average 50% higher medical costs.

“Wellbeing is a journey we’ve been on for multiple years. It’s about the evolution of our culture and the future of our business,” says Chuck Lambert, humana’s vice president of associate & business services. “What we’re doing inside humana is a laboratory for thought leadership to showcase to our customers. We’re trying different things to motivate behaviors and make our employees smarter consumers of healthcare. At this point, we still have questions, but it’s a wonderful, opportunity-laden time.”

Through the insights it’s gaining, humana is catching its stride in a fast-changing industry. Fortune magazine, for example, recently featured humana Chairman and CEO Michael McCallister in an interview where he described humana’s employee population as probably one of the most engaged you’d find anywhere in the country in a big business. “And yet,” he added, “we still have a lot of work to do…. This is hard work because it really, fundamentally, requires a change in how people think.”

Worker wellbeing is a global concern, not just a u.S. issue. Worldwide less than half of all employees say they work for organizations that promote health and wellbeing, according to a 2010 World Economic Forum study conducted by right Management. It included nearly 30,000 employees in 15 countries and diverse industries, at least half of them “white collar.” Like Gallup’s work, this study also found compelling evidence linking employee health and wellbeing to measures of business success.

While a growing number of researchers and employers alike realize worker wellbeing is important, addressing it in the workplace is anything but clear-cut. Wellbeing means

“My orGAnIzATIon ACTIvely ProMoTes heAlTh & WellbeInG” by CoUnTry

Source: World Economic Forum/right Management study

50%people who report low wellbeing

average 50% higher medical costs.


different things to different people and in different places, and what’s right in one workplace may not make as much difference in another due to different cultural contexts and different worker expectations. For example, Indian workers ranked their employers highest in the World Economic Forum study for promoting health and wellbeing. India’s growing prosperity no doubt affects its workers’ overall optimism about what employers are contributing to their wellbeing, and the study also indicated that Indian business leaders regard compensation, work environment, career opportunities, and training as more important for competitive advantage than wellness.

While the expectations of India’s new workforce are still emerging, in Northern Europe there’s an already strong tradition of support for worker health and wellbeing, with solid legislation in place. Expectations are high, and even well-established notions of wellbeing are still evolving. Example: The Finnish Institute of Occupational health recently coordinated a project designed to produce a new European concept of work that’s thoroughly interdisciplinary, merging health promotion, occupational health services,

safety management, human resources, and productivity to ensure their simultaneous and effective impact on the workplace.

“By promoting wellbeing at work, the Forum aims to increase the appeal and productivity of working life, as well as the capacity of individuals to adapt to changes,” explains Beatriz Arantes, a Steelcase researcher in Paris.

With obesity a growing problem around the world, many employers are starting there with their efforts to improve the wellbeing of workers. This is especially true in the u.S., where obesity has risen sharply. It turns out that overeating is just part of the cause.

Inactivity research is an emerging field of study being conducted at high-profile places such as the Mayo Clinic and the Pennington Biomedical research Center. Findings indicate that the long stretches of sitting that most people do everyday, including at work, is the culprit in the obesity crisis. Sitting for most of your day is bad for health, regardless of what you do afterwards or whether you’re obese or fit. Inactivity dramatically slows down calorie-burning, insulin effectiveness, and how well the body gets rid of fat in the bloodstream.

humana has stepped up its spaces with colors that “pop” and media:scape settings that allow multiple users to see the same content.


“We’ve found out that the consequences of a lack of movement and heavy smoking are quite similar,” says Marc hamilton of the Pennington Biomedical research Center.

Even more surprising: going to the gym regularly isn’t by itself a cure. Dramatically, the research shows that benefits of exercising for 30 minutes a day can be undone if the rest of the day a person is inactive.

hamilton was among experts from all over the world who participated in a Steelcase-sponsored conference on sedentary behaviors held at the Stanford Center on Longevity in July 2010.

Because some knowledge workers spend so much of their time at work doing primarily sedentary work, there’s significant opportunity for employers to exert influence. Finding ways to increase movement at work is an important piece of the wellbeing puzzle. From a financial perspective alone, the potential rewards are high, especially when you factor in all the indirect costs of obesity for all stakeholders, as McKinsey recently did in an analysis that looked at spending associated with obesity in the u.S. It shows that obesity indirectly costs the u.S. at least $450 billion each year — almost three times as much as the direct medical cost.

As compelling as obesity and other health issues have become, each study and

every effort points to the need for a broad understanding of wellbeing that goes beyond just one dimension. Wellbeing involves a congregation of factors including physical, mental, and emotional among others. Successful programs are multipronged and sustained, and centered on holistic needs.

As humana’s Chuck Lambert expresses it, “Wellness is often just about the health of an individual. Wellbeing, on the other hand, is about the individual and their surroundings, how they are doing in relationship to their world.”

An important dimension of wellbeing can be workplace planning and design. A growing body of research confirms that surroundings can help or hinder wellbeing.

Working with Steelcase, companies at the frontside of the trend are pioneering concepts that leverage the potential of the workplace to improve employee wellbeing.

AChTUnG! ACTIve offICe!

In Germany, Berlin-based workplace consulting company Eurocres worked with Steelcase on a project for Sparkasse rhein-Nahe, the largest savings bank in Bad Kreuznach. Designed around a concept called eurocresActive Office®, it’s been lauded in a German trade publication, Mensch & Büro (people and the office).

sitting for most of your day is bad for your health, regardless of what you do afterwards or whether you’re obese or fit.

AroUnD The WorlD, The PrevelAnCe of obesITy Is rIsInG

Prevelance of Adult Obesity

Source: World health Organization Global Infobase

25%

50%

0%


At Sparkasse rhein-Nahe, the largest savings bank in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, it’s easy to mobilize body and mind throughout the day.

finding ways to increase movement at work is an important piece of the wellbeing puzzle.


“These days, the office as a zone of wellbeing falls far short of being sufficient,” the article states. “Intelligent and innovative concepts must take into account the efficiency of the available area. Over and above this, it is important to consider aspects such as variable zoning, employee satisfaction, and company representation. Another factor that is important from a financial perspective is health-related preventive measures, seldom brought to bear on many office concepts.”

The space is furnished to encourage the bank’s employees to mobilize both mind and body during the working day.

“Even wellbeing needs motivation!” says Jenö Kleemann, a partner in Eurocres. “A very important feature of eurocresActive Office is the explanation and demonstration of the mobility modules. The objective is that employees develop self motivation to use the components automatically.”

Open spaces offer a high degree of flexibility for individual users and, at the same time, optimize a limited amount of space. raised flooring accommodates cable management in a space-saving way, opening up central areas where team members can retreat, relax, or recharge.

Says Andreas Peters, CEO of Sparkasse rhein-Nahe at Bad Kreuznach: “We are aware that healthy and satisfied employees are the foundation of a successful company. For us the implementation of Active Office is an investment in the future. Only as an attractive employer will we have the motivated employees that our customers require.”

Furniture was especially selected to encourage movement. height-adjustable worksurfaces allow workers to do individual work in a standing or seated position, and special stand-up counters for group meetings easily become settings for stretching exercises.

“A variety of movements developed together with sport, fitness, and re-education specialists ensure that people make health-promoting micro movements throughout the working day,” says Kleemann.

There’s also an “active room” with gym equipment. Or, anytime they need a break, employees are invited to arrange small meetings in a glass-enclosed lounge, where beanbags and soft stools offer comfortable seating — and also a slight workout when getting out of the chairs.

sTreTChInG fUrTher

As part of their journey, for the past decade humana has been upgrading workplaces and creating new ones that are “tangible expressions of what we stand for,” says Lambert. “Workspaces alone can’t carry it, of course. If leaders exhibit negative behaviors, it makes even the greatest physical space unimportant. But, when aligned with leadership and culture, well-designed workplaces help raise the bar.”

humana has been systematically transforming its spaces, floor by floor and building by building over the past decade. At the same time, their workforce has more than doubled to 36,000 employees.

Providing as many workers as possible with natural light and views to the outdoors is a fundamental design principle, says Greg Shafer, manager of workplace strategy, humana Workplace Solutions. In all newer spaces, enclosed areas are at the core instead of the periphery, so most employees can enjoy the benefits of natural light. There’s lots of glass throughout, even fronting individual offices, to increase transparency everywhere. Where natural light and views aren’t possible, it’s simulated — for example, environmental branding techniques connect to nature. Other ways that humana workspaces are designed

esTIMATeD InCreAseD sPenDInG AssoCIATeD WITh obesITy In The Us

$ billion

Source: McKinsey Analysis; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2006 National health Expenditure Accounts; Euromonitor


to support wellbeing include energy-efficient lighting, low vOC-emitting materials, and products that are Cradle-to-Cradle certified as safe for people and planet.

Bold, enlivening applications of brand colors and messaging are other opportunities that humana is intentionally exploiting to kick up the wellbeing dimensions of their workplaces, reinforcing research that shows color is one of several aspects of space design that affects how people think. “We want more energetic colors in the workspace than taupe,” says Shafer. “People bringing their A-game to work is important to us and we believe the workspace can provide a platform for this.”

Getting employees moving more is another strategic objective that humana is bringing to life in its workspaces. Walkstation™, a product that combines a workstation with a low-speed treadmill, “has been a big hit for us,” says Shafer. “Walkstations have been tested in humana facilities and, after studying their impact on wellbeing, we are gradually incorporating this amenity to more and more of our spaces.” In addition, some locations have areas designated for indoor walking, including a few defined by carpet differentiation, directly adjacent to work areas so employees can easily get up and walk around.

To encourage more movement, stairwells are being repurposed to be more attractive versus forgotten places in humana facilities. At the Cincinnati office, large windows within stairwells maximize exterior views and provide abundant natural light so employees are more likely to choose the stairs instead of the elevator.

Designing workspaces that support collaboration and offer a variety of work settings is fundamental to humana’s formula for wellbeing, as well as innovation. Spaces that bring people together easily are prized. Setting a new direction has been the huB (humana unity Building), renovated 1890s iron-front warehouse space adjacent to the company’s Michael Graves-designed post-modern headquarters tower in Louisville.

The huB opened four years ago, and today it functions as a “fourth place” getaway for executives as well as rank-and-file employees who want more choice and control over where they work. It’s a conference and learning center, cafeteria, meeting space, informal touchdown work environment, and more, all in one big interconnected space equipped with wireless throughout.

“ Wellbeing can always be stretched because it includes so many things.”

humana’s concept of wellbeing includes a sense of purpose and belonging, so places that bring people together are becoming an important part of their culture.


Says Brent Densford, now director of innovation who previously headed the humana Workplace Solutions team: “Working with Steelcase’s Applied research Consulting group helped us get to the concept of what we needed for our culture — a space that would be a magnet where people could come and interact.” Previously, humana employees in Louisville had only areas on their own floor of the headquarters building to gather. There was no cafeteria for social networking, no alternative work settings or other large areas accessible to all.

The impact of the huB has been huge, says Densford. “Within a year, it made a significant positive impact on our headquarters culture.” Now humana is looking for ways to replicate elements of the huB in other locations as a way to ignite more collaboration and innovation, as well as improve wellbeing.

Given the nature of humana’s work, employees are mostly residents in their spaces, working in individually assigned workstations, which comprise most of humana’s workspaces. But the high-panel “cube farms” of the 1990s have

been replaced with 120-degree planning and low, seated-height privacy panels so spaces feel friendlier. Ergonomics and adjustability — provided by carefully selected task seating, flexible workstations, and worktools — are essentials, versus afterthoughts or special requests.

For the external sales force, the highly mobile component of humana’s workforce, a recent design improvement in sales offices is a hoteling area that’s easily converted for customer presentations. That flexibility reduces stress and improves wellbeing for salespeople, since they now know there’s a well-equipped place that’s readily available to them. “Wellbeing can always be stretched because it really includes so many things,” says Shafer.

enoUGh sAID?

For Sparkasse rhein-Nahe, humana, and a growing number of other employers worldwide, at its very best the workplace is a powerful way to both affect improved wellbeing and tangibly communicate its importance.

When leaders embrace the opportunity to improve employees’ wellbeing, they create more engaging places to work and greater returns for their organization, according to a growing number of studies. When they don’t, it erodes confidence and limits the organization’s ability to grow.

Clearly, more than a cause for concern, improving employee wellbeing is an opportunity for businesses to improve and grow. And the spaces where work is done can make a significant difference in the end results.” °

heAlThy MoveMenT

Percentage of Americans who met physical-activity guidelines suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — the equivalent of briskly walking for 60 minutes per day, 5 days per week, for children under 16 years; 30 minutes per day for all others.

Source: “Physical Activity in the united States Measured by Accelerometer,” Medicine and Science in Sports and Excercise, 2008. Guidlines based on 1995 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation.

42% - 6 to 11 years 08% - 12 to 15 years 06% - 16 to 19 years 04% - 20 to 59 years 02% - 60 years and older


When micro movements throughout the day aren’t enough, Sparkasse Rhein-Nahe’s “active room” is a terrific pick-me-up space.


When the world’s first large-scale positive energy office building is completed early this summer outside Paris, a lot of people will be watching. This new workplace for 1,200 people puts emerging ideas and theories about energy management into practice. Designed by Ion Enescu, architect, partner and co-manager of Atelier 2M Architectes, as a project for real estate developer Bouygues Immobilier, it inaugurates a new generation of commercial office buildings.

Today’s office buildings account for more than 40% of total energy consumption. relying on renewable sources, positive energy buildings produce more energy than they consume. It’s an important direction within the realm of commercial real estate and beyond, with new standards and regulations for energy-

efficient buildings on the horizon throughout the world.

France is moving rapidly toward higher standards to meet the requirements of a new law that will go into effect in January 2013. And worldwide change will be put in motion later this year when ISO publishes ISO 50001, a new global standard of energy management that establishes a framework for green buildings of all types. It’s estimated that the new standard could influence up to 60% of the world’s energy use.

Achieving positive energy status requires a delicate balance: tightly controlling the amount of energy used to operate the building and increasing its capacity to produce energy minus carbon emissions. It’s also about balancing architecture, automation, and human nature – i.e., recognizing that a building can’t do it alone.

With occupant behaviors impacting 30% of energy use, people are critically important for achieving optimal building performance.

As part of a 10-company coalition, the Positive Energy Consortium, Steelcase helped to position users at the forefront of planning for the new building in France and other positive energy buildings of the future. Through the consortium, the research and best thinking of experts from a range of companies convened. Functioning as both a steering committee and a work group for specific projects, the consortium met regularly for about three years while the new building was planned and built. The front-end involvement was especially important, according to Steelcase researchers who participated.

A User-CenTereD APProACh for PosITIve enerGy

The WorlD’s fIrsT lArGe-sCAle PosITIve enerGy offICe bUIlDInG


“The right design can drive the right behaviors,” says Catherine Gall, a Steelcase Workspace Futures research director based in France. “For example, user comfort has to be a complementary concern to space efficiency. If you shrink space and give users no control of their comfort, it’s counterproductive. Or, if you completely automate energy consumption without giving occupants any control of their environment, it won’t be positive.”

A notable example of user control for energy-efficient buildings of the future: a Personal Office Energy Manager, prototyped by Intel, a member of the consortium. It tracks how much energy each occupant is using for personal computing, printing, lighting, and temperature adjustment, and then reports it back to them real time on laptops or smart phones. That way, occupants can individually see if they’re exceeding targets and actively adjust accordingly.

“A change management approach is necessary to create user buy-in and sustain new behaviors over time,” says Gall. “The consortium was a unique opportunity to contribute Steelcase research and insights. We were also able to learn about new issues at the boundaries of our industry and understand what it really takes to create a positive energy building.

“Positive energy equation will be on everyone’s agenda very soon,” she continues. “To help customers hit their targets, it really takes systemic thinking across industry professionals, academic researchers, and end-users to study the issue from a 360-degree perspective.” °

30%PeoPle IMPACT AboUT 30%

of A bUIlDInG’s enerGy Use.

40%ToDAy’s offICe bUIlDInGs ACCoUnT for More

ThAn 40% of ToTAl enerGy ConsUMPTIon

nzeb vs. PosITIve enerGy: WhAT’s The DIfferenCe?

Net zero energy (NZEB) buildings produce as much energy as they use over time.

Positive energy buildings go one step further by producing more energy than they use.

The PosITIve enerGy ConsorTIUM

Bouygues Immobilier .......................... real estate development

Intel .................................................... Processor technology

Lexmark ............................................. Printing solutions

Philips ................................................ Lighting solutions

Schneider Electric .............................. Energy management

Siemens ............................................. Electronic building management

Sodexo ............................................... Catering

Steelcase ........................................... Office furniture, workspace design

Tandberg ............................................ videoconferencing

Tenesol……………………………. ......... Photovoltaic solar energy


PUTTInG heAlThCAre In A beTTer PlACe

In hospitals all over the world, workarounds are multiplying while staffs are more challenged than ever to provide care in facilities that don’t adequately support them or their work.


higher-quality healthcare is a big objective all over the world. Administrators, academicians, and legislators have been debating the issue for decades. But discussions driven by medical, budget, and consolidation concerns have usually put healthcare environments in the back seat.

Now healthcare facilities are an important piece of a system stretched to the breaking point. An aging population, rising obesity and related conditions, and dangerous outbreaks of infectious diseases are just a few of many triggers driving the crisis. Especially throughout North America and especially in acute care, changes are coming from every side, and they’re gathering momentum.

New, more efficient healthcare models are emerging as teams of physicians, nurses, clinicians, and specialists collaborate to deliver care in patients’ homes, specialized hospitals, outpatient clinics, and in the community, says Caroline Kelly, a researcher with Nurture, a Steelcase company dedicated to healthcare environments. Nurture recently completed an extensive study of acute care units, including patient rooms and family lounges, nursing stations and break areas, and the areas in between.

“New approaches to environments that respond to and anticipate improvements in healthcare delivery offer a significant contribution to higher-quality care,” says Kelly.

New user-centered insights into effective healthcare environments couldn’t be more timely. Throughout the healthcare system — and especially in hospitals — care today revolves more and more around patients and their families, with personal electronic medical records documenting each step. With increased emphasis on education and engagement so people can make informed choices, the need for ubiquitous access to networks is even more important.

Inside hospitals built decades ago, staffs are struggling to cope with the advances in technology and changes in treatments. Meanwhile, workloads are growing, and the physical and emotional stress of the job is escalating as staffs log more miles on their feet and lift tons of cumulative weight each shift.

At the same time, communications that traditionally took place around nursing stations and bulletin boards are now often transmitted electronically. Yet the need for face-to-face communication is higher than ever as healthcare becomes more complex and stressful.

“So many healthcare facilities have these fortresses that aren’t susceptible to change,” says Cyndi McCullough, MSN, a nurse who is senior healthcare consultant and vice president at hDr Architects, a firm specializing in the design of healthcare institutions with 185 offices worldwide. “When you have a place that supports the caregivers where they’re working at the moment, with patient information right there where you need it, then you have a better healing environment for the patient.”

Says Jan Carlson, vice-president of product marketing and development at Nurture: “It’s really about people — balancing the imperatives of care with the needs of people.”

GoInG InsIDe The WhIrlWInD

Like all human-centered design, the Nurture team’s process starts with research that includes first-hand observations. Findings are synthesized to basic design principles for products and spaces, which are prototyped and measured for effectiveness.

It’s important to design environments based on an understanding of clinical best practices.


Their observations included six hospitals in the united States and Canada, ranging from a small rural critical-access hospital with 25 beds to a large academic medical center with 550 beds and six intensive care units.

“The inherent complexity and ongoing change in acute care make it difficult to design for, but at the same time these challenges also provide a platform for exploration and innovation,” says Kelly.

It’s critically important to design environments based on an understanding of clinical and workflow best practices, she emphasizes.

“Caregivers’ evolving patterns of team-based care have them coming together during group rounds or shift changes, then breaking into groups of two or three, and then working independently a moment later — but there is very little accommodation for that flexibility. When charts, equipment and supplies aren’t in the right place at the right time, people get creative: they use over-bed tables for med prep, they use linen hampers for charting surfaces, and they hoard supplies in surprising places. Families have to improvise, too – when

they have a loved one in the hospital for days and weeks at a time, we see how they eat, sleep, and work in waiting rooms and patient rooms, even though these rooms aren’t intended for those purposes.

“Besides the inconvenience, all these make-do arrangements give the appearance of disorder, which research tells us contributes to fatigue for caregivers and feelings of uncertainty and lack of control for patients.”

Another key observation: the evolution of healthcare has taken it beyond the spaces where care traditionally took place. Makeshift workstations in corridors allow nurses and staff to see their patients and each other, but they clutter the passageway. Because the need for collaboration and instant communication is continuous, it takes place around the bed-assignment board, the central nursing station, and in patient rooms.

Meanwhile, instruction and learning takes place everywhere. Information is posted in folders on corridor walls for patients and families. Physicians meet with residents, interns, and students. Staffs hold ad hoc meetings around

the nursing station for updates. And technology is everywhere, both fixed and mobile, often overwhelming the environment aesthetically and functionally.

“While the hospital’s primary function is care and healing, the requirements to deliver quality care can work against physical, social, and emotional needs,” says Carlson.

GeTTInG To PrInCIPles

Based on their research, the Nurture team developed six design principles:

Offer comfort for the patient, family, and staff while supporting clinical care. New healthcare environments should minimize patients’ feeling of being alone, afraid, or uncomfortable. Families need to be close to the patient and understand the situation, but not in the way. And caregivers must have the space, equipment, and support for the tasks they perform, no matter how fast-changing.

having identified specific needs and the opportunity to support the way clinicians really work, Nurture has developed innovative new products that put their principles into practice. Sync work stations are designed for locations where activity is constant and fast-changing. Pocket, an almost noiseless mobile worksurface, is meant to accompany nurses as they work.

“ There’s a definite need to improve communication between nurses and doctors and to offer support for learning by clinicians, students and staff.”


Design spaces to evolve. With change occurring so rapidly – demographics, technologies, treatment protocols, funding environments, and more – built-in flexibility is a lasting advantage.

Provide for connections, closeness, and capacity. Facilities and furnishings should support collaboration, both face-to-face and with data. They should keep caregivers close to patients. And they should be easily scalable to accommodate unexpected influxes of patients.

Plan for ubiquitous learning. Spaces and furnishings should let people gather wherever they are. Ideally, teaching and learning happens throughout the unit and involves everyone – staff, patients, and families.

Prevent technology from overwhelming the environment. The built environment needs to integrate and accommodate medical and information technology and allow for its evolution— without displacing people as the center of attention. hidden-yet-accessible cable management and quiet carts to move equipment around are among the many ways to reduce stress.

Design for intuitive behaviors. By designing for the routine, it’s possible to decrease cognitive load, which decreases stress. Everything repetitive should be obvious – from the purpose of a room to the placement of supplies and equipment.

Where The ACTIon Is

Focusing on the new realities of healthcare, Nurture has created thought-starter concepts for acute care unit spaces. Example: a caregiver station — renamed as an interdisciplinary space — retains value as meeting space for sharing of information despite ongoing decentralization of care. With an array of screens to share information, staff can find the tools — and colleagues — they need to perform their duties. Groups can gather around a standing-height table for collaboration. Clinicians can work side-by-side perching at a two-person workstation, or work individually on a mobile worksurface.

“There’s a definite need to improve communication between nurses and doctors and to offer support for learning by clinicians, students, and staff,” says Alan rheault, Nurture’s director of industrial design. “Effective communication has a direct impact on quality of care.”

ToWArD beTTer CAre exPerIenCes

A careful look at trends in healthcare delivery can lead to higher-quality care, even without a wholesale remodel or new reconstruction. Nurture continues to mine its research and collaborate with partners in the A&D and healthcare community to advance its knowledge and create more clinical solutions to improve care delivery and experience for patients, families and caregivers.

“Innovation in healthcare solutions can lie in small differences as well as entirely new ways of defining what a healthcare space could be,” says rheault. °

Focusing on the new realities of healthcare, Nurture has created thought-starter concepts for acute care unit spaces. This caregiver station retains value as meeting space for sharing of information despite ongoing decentralization of care.

Through our research, we found that the traditional,

one-size-fits-all bench is ineffective for both workers

and the organization. It’s important to consider the

levels of mobility and collaboration required by workers

and adjust the solution accordingly. FrameOne was

designed to do just that, offering more customizable

options than other bench applications.

Learn more by reading our benching White Paper available at 360.steelcase.com.

Joe Chang went backpacking in Africa and came home with a big idea. You might say it was a vacation that turned into a vocation.

In 2006 Chang was backpacking in Africa, on a break after a corporate operations job in the united States. The poverty he saw on the trip changed his life. Back home, he solidified plans to start a company based on a business model of social sustainability. And then he returned to Kenya to make it happen.

Today Chang’s concept is a company called 2fysh. Through the design, production, and distribution of textiles, apparel, and crafts, it’s providing income and life-sustaining skills for hundreds in Kenya, where unemployment typically hovers around 50%.

The name 2fysh is inspired by the Chinese proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime,” and the biblical story of two fish and five loaves. On the way to finding a url that wasn’t already taken, “to fish” became 2fysh and Chang’s company was born.

2fysh is all about empowering “the huge pool of talent” Chang saw in Kenya and bringing it to market in the u.S.

From the start, his intentions and approach have been more macro than micro. he believes that’s the only way to create sustainable financial and social transformation. While praising the benefits of micro-financing and fair trade initiatives that have helped developing countries, Chang’s conviction is that “social sustainability happens by creating a middle class, and that happens through large-scale volume and support via external markets.”

For 2fysh to succeed, Chang has put all his prior business experience into full-court play. “I’m an operations guy all the way,” he says. “I’m all about getting things done, bringing things to market.” That has meant providing designs, processes, machines, quality standards, and training in Kenya, while attracting distribution channels in the States for a full range of products.

Operating from a warehouse in Michigan, today 2fysh is a supplier to several outlets, including Midwest retail giant Meijer Inc. In addition,

Chang recently teamed with Steelcase’s Turnstone group to develop handwoven slipcovers for its Alight and Campfire ottomans.

2fysh products are based on indigenous design traditions. They’re made from locally available, natural materials and produced either in managed collaboratives or homes, not factories. Customers get excited about 2fysh products, says Chang, because they’re uniquely appealing and meet quality and price expectations. As an added benefit, the purchase helps people create better lives for themselves, their families, and communities.

For example, single and widowed women, who are especially marginalized in Kenyan society, make the Turnstone slipcovers. In addition to a strong living wage, 2fysh pays performance bonuses. With a stable income, these women gain purpose, dignity, and self-respect.

“having consistent work transforms lives,” says Chang. “That’s what the 2fysh story is really about.” °

2fysh

sUsTAInAbIlITy SPOTLIGhTA look at people and organizations that are making the world better for us all.

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bIl

ITy

SP

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It’s been six years since A Whole New Mind explored the value of right-brain thinking in business. Are companies hiring more people with right-brain skills?

yes and no. In the downturn and its aftermath, they haven't been bringing on many people at all. But more broadly, I see a definite move toward hiring people who are whole-minded — who have both logical, linear skills, but also artistic, empathic, big-picture skills. For instance, IBM did a survey of 1,500 CEOs last year asking them the skill they valued most. Their answer? Creativity.

DAnIel PInkThe besT sellInG AUThor on rIGhT-brAIn ThInkInG, GreAT WorksPACes, AnD The “GrIlleD Cheese oPTIon”

A former speechwriter for Al Gore, Daniel Pink now cuts an impressive speech-making path of his own: his website lists a practically nonstop schedule of public and private engagements in locations around the world. he’s written four best sellers, contributes articles to many national publications and, as a result, says The Financial Times, is “rapidly acquiring international guru status.” his hugely successful book A Whole New Mind described a shift from old-school, left-brain corporate culture to one that highly values more creative, right-brain thinking. his most recent book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, argues that business needs a more human-centered approach to motivation. his comments here are excepted from a recent 360 webcast and additional questions he answered via email.

Q&

A

Q&A


So right brainers will still rule the future?

In advanced economies, the sorts of abilities that used to matter the most were what we think of as quintessentially left-brain abilities, the spreadsheet abilities. They still matter, but they matter relatively less. It’s the harder to outsource or automate inventive kinds of abilities: artistry, empathy, big-picture thinking, the things that are most important now. There’s a pretty significant tilt in those directions.

What’s the best skill set: MFA or MBA?

A lot of the traditional MBA skills, the analytic skills that are not about coming up with new options but are basically about evaluating options and using algorithmic cognitive skills, those kinds of abilities are basically becoming commoditized. We can automate many of them and we can send them overseas to low-cost providers because Excel works just as well in Manila as it does in Toronto. Business concepts are being integrated into some fine arts curriculums now. Some MFA and BFA programs have things like the business of art and design, kind of an integrated left-brain, right-brain thing. People are realizing that the world is not segmented in the way that’s convenient for academic departments. It’s messy, and overlapping.

Q&

A


Are students looking for this kind of academic diversity?

In the u.S. undergraduate education there’s been a spectacular rise in the last 20 years of double majors and also of self-designed majors. Young people are looking at their education and saying, “I know what I want to study, I know what I’m interested in and I have a sense of how to prepare for the future.” Then they look at these academic departments which were created in 1880, and say, “Wait a second. This does not comport with how I want to do things. So I’ll study genetics and I sure as heck better study some philosophy, too. In fact maybe I need to concentrate in philosophy as much as I do in genetics and do a major in bio-ethics or something like that.” Most higher education institutions are behind on this. The pace of change in the academic world is three or four cycles slower than in the rest of society.

How did you decide to write a book about motivation?

One big trend we’re seeing is the poverty of certain kinds of motivators within the workplace. That is these classic kinds of carrot-and-stick motivators, what I call if/ then motivators: if you do this, then you get that. They’re terrific for the simple algorithmic, routine, rule-based work. But there’s 50 years of science that says they just don’t work very well for the more creative, conceptual, integrative work that most people are doing today. One of the goals of the book was to try to close the gap between what science knows and what business does.

How have companies responded to that effort?

We’ve gotten a really good response. There has been far less resistance to the central claim than I ever imagined. Lots of companies are trying FedEx Days (named for days that software company Atlassian sets aside each year for developers to work on whatever they want; they have to present their results the next day), rethinking their compensation schemes, and looking for ways to notch up employee autonomy. The challenge is the ferocious focus — especially in public companies — on the short term. Managers say to me, “These ideas are great. We’re definitely going to try them. But we’ll do that next quarter — once I hit this quarter’s numbers.” And then they say the same thing the following quarter.

You’ve said that conceptual work requires a different physical environment. How so?

Just as we need to find new motivational strategies, I think the same is true of physical workplaces. how do we come up with workplaces that go with the grain of human nature rather than some of our workplaces that were architected for a very different kind of work, and in many ways go against the grain of human nature? It’s really a question of needing some fresh thinking, saying, “Wait a second, let’s stop here and instead of trying to optimize the flawed system, let’s come up with an entirely new system. Let’s come up with that option C, or maybe it’s not even option C, it’s almost like option grilled cheese sandwich, because it defies the set of options that we have now.” That’s really where the action is.

What might “option grilled cheese sandwich” look like?

Think about how you work. You can do heads-down work anywhere. In the back of a cab, on the bus, in an airport, in your house, anywhere. The idea that you have to go into a physical setting called an office building to do heads-down work is somewhat silly. So when you go into the office and into a physical space, you want to get something valuable out of it. It seems to me that there are three kinds of valuable, necessary spaces: spaces for heads-down work, spaces for intentional collaboration, and spaces for inadvertent contact. The best workplaces somehow configure the environment so that there’s room for each of these spaces, and the movement of people to and from these spaces feels natural and effortless. Again, that’s easy to articulate, challenging to actuate. What you get value out of it in many cases is some kind of interaction, some kind of collaboration, the opportunity to deal with diverse people, and the inadvertent contact in all of that.

Q&

A


Many 360 readers are architects and designers — and work in studio environments. Could other businesses use that type of workspace?

Absolutely. In fact, I’m guessing that in a few years, white-collar working spaces will look a lot more like studios than like the grids of desk and cubicles of the man in the gray flannel suit. We need to give people the freedom to configure and reconfigure the spaces. rather than offer one or two narrow options, maybe we should allow people to fashion and refashion their workplace in real time. There are also some clues in the workarounds that people do in reconfiguring space that isn’t necessarily built for collaboration. You go into any workplace and people will have reconfigured it to suit their needs. And I always think, man, what if we went with the grain of what they’re trying to do rather than oppose it? Part of it is letting people configure the space themselves in some way so they can work the way that’s best for them. Part of it is creating rich spaces for collaboration, because the best feedback and information on how we’re doing comes informally from colleagues rather than formally from bosses.

What’s your own work environment like?

For 14 years I worked in an office on the third floor of our house in Washington, D.C. But we moved recently and now I work in a small garage that we converted into an office. My commute involves leaving through the back door and walking about 15 steps. Both arrangements, while not perfect, are pretty darn good. They’ve kept me integrated into my family’s life, without having to work at the kitchen table.

Favorite tools for working?

I feel bereft if I don’t have my laptop and a high-speed Internet connection. But — and this surprises some of my digerati pals — I still use a heckuva lot of manilla file folders. And my labeler is one of my prized possessions.

You’re constantly researching, writing, and presenting about work. What do you do when you’re not working?

Sleep. Drink wine. Go for runs with my wife. Coach my son’s baseball team. Offer life lessons to my daughters, which they wisely ignore.

Can creativity be measured?

There are some metrics that measure creative thinking, but we should take those with a grain of salt. The idea that you can assign a single number to something like creativity is in many ways a fool’s errand. You’re always going to have to deal with some amount of ambiguity, that’s the nature of it. We can either have a legitimate ambiguity or a false sense of certainty. And I’ll take legitimate ambiguity over false certainty any day. °

Watch the 360 webcast “Educating the Creative Leaders of Tomorrow,” with Daniel Pink, roger Martin, dean of the rotman School of Management, and Jim Keane, president of Steelcase.

360.steelcase.com/articles/360-discussion/

Q&

A

54 | Issue 62 | 360.steelcase.com54 | Issue 62 | 360.steelcase.com

360.steelcase.com | Issue 62 | 55360.steelcase.com | Issue 62 | 55

Un/TeThereD

Just a generation ago, work and life were treated as different entities. Thanks to mobile technology and a globally interconnected world, we’ve gone from “honey, I’m home!” to “I’ll be just a second, I’m checking email.” What does this mash-up of our personal and professional lives mean for workplaces at home and all the other sites where work gets done? To find some answers, Coalesse sponsored a study of knowledge workers on the east and west coasts who have the freedom to work when and where they want. The study is ongoing, but several themes are becoming clear.

The hoMe/offICe PArADox

“Many people have home offices or office-like spaces, yet few actually use them, or use them as expected,” says Emily ulrich, a senior design researcher with Steelcase WorkSpace Futures. “The common advice for a home office is that you should be away from everything else happening in the house. That’s the exact opposite of what people are doing. They are happily adapting their own solutions to better integrate work within the other parts of their lives.”


sTAyInG In The looP

We may be out of the office but we’re not out of touch. During many of the hours they spend at home, people connect to the outside world. “Everyone brings their devices home,” says ulrich. “And everyone — clients and bosses especially — values responsiveness.”

WorkInG AMID fAMIly lIfe

Some people feel most comfortable working in the kitchen or living room while family life swirls around them. They stay on top of work yet remain part of the family. For example, a software manager screened incoming emails at a kitchen counter while his wife (who sometimes pops open a laptop at the counter) prepared dinner. his rationale: “Our daughter’s doing her homework at the kitchen table, so I can be a total screen geek and yet still be vaguely social with my family.”

roAMInG

People don’t stay put. When they’re out of the office, they miss the energy of having other people around, so they spend part of their days in “third places,” like coffee shops. Achieving a good vibe and aesthetic, without necessarily having to engage with others.


sofT lAnDInGs

Comfort historically has been antithetical to the head-down work ethic: if you’re too comfortable the fear was you’d lose focus. “But at home, with everyone we observed, comfort is king,” says ulrich. One millennial was adamant: “I absolutely cannot work with my feet down. They have to be up.” Another explained the blend of productivity and comfort this way: “I don’t feel like I’m working here. That’s the most important feeling.”

ToGGlInG

Traditional 9-5 routines are disappearing. For many, the day more closely resembles four or five waves that begin earlier and end later, with a back and forth between work and life activities. People switch between these two pursuits without fully abandoning the other. “This is toggling,” says ulrich. “It’s not just multitasking, it’s multitasking combined with multi-locating.”


nesTInG

Some work-at-home people are creating hybrid work/home settings that combine comfort with a pleasing aesthetic, i.e., a nest. A design director camouflaged her workspace at home to look as much like a living room as a place to get things done. The desk is like a side table and also converts to an extension of the dining table, and a large, pillow-stacked lounge chair and couch take prominent positions. ulrich says “bringing in the couch changed the relationship to the space. They can sit there together and feel a sense of nested communing, while still working.”

boUnDAry IssUes

Merging work and home life may be inevitable for many people, but it’s not always easy. Being distracted by the very comforts that make working at home desirable in the first place, and the stress of trying to separate work and the rest of life, are typical issues. It’s about setting boundaries. When you’re always able to tap the interconnected business world, the live/work balance too often tilts toward work.

“Work and workers, when set free, flow like water along the path of least resistance. We’re untethered from the office, but not the work. Email follows us everywhere and our work demands are escalating, yet we want a life outside of work,” says ulrich. While people

occasionally need to cocoon in a secluded space to concentrate on a task, that’s the exception. Most prefer to be nomadic, mixing the always-on stream of work with other activity. rather than be secluded, people want to stay connected to others for stimulation and, likely, to compensate for the increasingly distributed lives so many of us lead.

“For most of us, comfort is key, both psychic and physical. Wherever we work, we want to be relaxed, stimulated, even inspired. Smart companies get it, and they’re building inspiring places to work. The rules are gone. Conventions are being challenged. The tethers are decidedly coming off.” °


The sTUff of lIfe

By building immersive environments where great conversations happen, Steelcase has long been a partner in TED’s mission to spread ideas. That continues this July when Steelcase uK will help to recreate the unique TED environment at

TEDGlobal. This year’s theme: The Stuff of Life. The conference will explore the question: What is life? And how can it be better lived?

Together, Steelcase and TED continue to redefine the conference experience to create engaging, interactive,

and inspirational environments. TEDGlobal 2011 will take place in Edinburgh, Scotland, July 11-15 and will be held at the prestigious Edinburgh International Conference Center.

neW InsIGhTs. neW solUTIons. neW sPACe.

We have updated our WorkLife Casablanca showroom in Moroccco to reflect new insights, ideas and solutions for an interconnected workplace. If you’re in Casablanca, stop by or schedule a visit by contacting:

WorkLife Casablanca 59, bd Moulay Youssef 20 000 Casablanca Morocco

+212 (0) 5 22 20 43 12

News about TED, the Edison product awards, and a sustainability award for EcoCradle packaging.

AToMs&BITS

AT

oM

s &

bIT

s

360.steelcase.com | Issue 62 | 63 Neo

Con

Welcome to NeoCon 2011


NeoCon 2011 JoiN us | June 13 –15

visit our showrooms for insights,ideas and solutions from the Steelcase family of brands.

Coalesse, Suite 1032

Designtex, Suite 1032A

Details, Suite 300

Nurture, Suite 3-101

Steelcase, Suite 300

Steelcase Education Solutions, Suite 3-107

Turnstone, Suite 3-100

WelCoMe.

bIenvenIDA.

WIllkoMMen.

benvenUTI.

bIenvenUe.

WelkoM.


SO MuCh TO DO IN SO LITTLE TIMEhere are some events we think you won’t want to miss:

A beTTer MoUseTrAP:

Designing Data Gathering

and Creating meaning for

healthcare Concerns

Make certain you understand your clients’ needs and wants when you design their space. From the basics of asking questions to the details of embedding graphics into surveys, learn to get the most from your data gathering. Presenters Wendy Eckenrod-Green, PhD, assistant professor at radford university, and Lennie Scott-Webber, IIDA, IDEC, director of education environments for Steelcase Inc., will share results from a recent survey of healthcare providers about their needs and wants, and get the techniques used to glean the information. Topics include how to address specific challenges like gathering data from mental healthcare providers relative to spatial issues, imbedding graphics and virtual modeling into questionnaires for easier understanding, and determining how reliable the responses are.

WhenTuesday, June 14 4 p.m. — 5 p.m.

WhereCheck registration or NeoCon Directory for room locations

eDUCATIon DesIGn:

What it Takes to really Understand

What We are Designing for in a

Classroom setting — an evidence -

based Approach

When row-by-column seating is considered a classroom norm, real learning can be in trouble. Take a look at the evidence that shows interactive learning preferences. Dr. Lennie Scott-Webber, IIDA, IDEC, director, education environments, Steelcase Inc., will share theories about how students learn including the cognitive ecology and pedagogical modalities involved. understand the challenges that are specific to building for student/faculty interactions in a more decentralized setting. Also, learn how evidence-based research supports better design outcomes. Leave with a fantastic set of skills for getting that next classroom project.

WhenWednesday, June 1511 a.m. — 12 p.m.


TAsTe The WIne, sAvor

The solUTIons

In our showrooms explore and experience the ways the workplace can respond in an interconnected, interdependent world. On Monday evening we also invite you to sample wines from around the world in a special wine-tasting event.

Browse the showrooms and learn about new insights, ideas and solutions as you sample wines from emerging vineyards in hungary, Israel, South Africa and New Zealand.

WhenMonday, June 134 p.m. — 7 p.m.



SteelCASe

DetAilS

turnStone

nurture

CoAleSSe


w h at ’ s n e w

This year’s show will showcase many new solutions designed to support all of the ways people work, wherever they may work. Solutions that are born from insights and designed to help people and organizations achieve their potential, get inspired and deliver results.


steelcase.com/neoCon

Follow us at NeoCon on twitter and facebook.



Worklife

InsIGhTs

IDeAs

solUTIons

Tour our global Steelcase WorkLife Showrooms right from your iPad.Today, Boston and Chicago... over the coming year, more of our showrooms from across the globe. Download them all or pick the ones that most interest you. Access images, alternative settings, dimensions and more. Be alerted to updates and changes, as they occur in the space. All of our showrooms right in your iPad.

steelcase virtual Showroom

InTerACTIve floorPlAns

DrAWInG/skeTChInG fUnCTIonAlITy

DesIGn InTenT for eACh seTTInG

enGlIsh AnD MeTrIC DIMensIons

AlTernATIve seTTInGs for eACh vInGeTTe

DoWnloAD AnD shAre shoWrooM IMAGes

More shoWrooMs CoMInG onlIne soon!


MeDIA:sCAPe

The world is an increasingly complex and competitive place where

productivity and innovation are vital. Succeeding in this world requires that people — everywhere — must work

more collaboratively.

As a family of products, media:scape® brings together people, space, and

information to boost collaboration andhelp teams excel.

leArn hoW MeDIA:sCAPe Is reshAPInG The

CollAborATIve exPerIenCe.


MeDIA:sCAPemedia:scape augments how teams collaborate by making information integral and meetings more inclusive by amplifying everyone’s ideas.

This year we’re previewing new media:scape solutions designed to extend the media:scape experience into all of the places collaboration happens.

It’s everything you’ve come to love about media:scape - brought to all of the places you need it most.


MeDIA:sCAPe MobIle

media:scape mobile transports media:scape everyplace you need it.

This mobile unit allows users to apply the technology in a diverse range of settings – from hospitality to education, business and healthcare – wherever collaboration might occur.

leArn More ATsTeelCAse.CoM/MsMobIle

MeDIA:sCAPe MInI

media:scape mini can be placed on top of any surface to transform spaces into collaborative work environments, extending the media:scape experience to smaller, existing settings

leArn More ATsTeelCAse.CoM/MsMInI

frAMeone WITh MeDIA:sCAPe

FrameOne with media:scape and hD videoconferencing (not shown) helps teams stay connected to their information and to each other — whether they are together at the bench or connecting from around the world.

leArn More ATsTeelCAse.CoM/frAMeone


ThIn TrIM PersonAl CADDy oPen bAse frAMeone leG


InTroDUCInG neW AnsWer.

An unparalleled range of applications, aesthetics, technology support and ownership adaptability, Answer® is designed with built-in flexibility and interconnectivity to meet today’s evolving workplace demands.

AnsWer

leArn More ATsTeelCAse.CoM/AnsWersofT eDGe

WorksUrfACe

PoWer AnD DATA ACCess

Door & TrAy


sMArT AnD sUsTAInAbleleD TAsk lIGhTInG.

PersonAl TAsk lIGhT

We know that proper lighting makes all the difference. Workers feel and perform better in a properly lit workplace. The LED personal task light was designed to illuminate and define the personal work zone — and offers a personal scale light that provides glare-free illumination over 12 square feet of worksurface, while providing a continuous light array eliminating multiple shadows common with other LED fixtures. Best of all — it does all this by using just 14 watts of energy, with a lifespan of 50,000 hours.

leArn More AboUT lIGhTInG ATsTeelCAse.CoM/lIGhTInG

leD shelf lIGhT

Lighting is the biggest energy drain in an office building, accounting for 29% of the energy consumed. That’s why we are so excited about the new LED Shelf Light — our most efficient shelf light, using half the energy of our traditional T8 shelf lights.


• new service modules and open hutches create private or collaborative spaces

• slip-fit feature allows wall-to-wall fit in a private office

• new right-sized components maximize real estate efficiency

• new storage components provide an integrated channel to route and distribute power

leArn More AT sTeelCAse.CoM/ee6

eleCTIve eleMenTs 6


flexfrAMe WorkWAll

Integrate FlexFrame™ workwalls in private offices, team spaces or project rooms to create a range of applications, including high tech media spaces, high density storage walls and visualdisplay areas.

leArn More ATsTeelCAse.CoM/flexfrAMe

neoCon 2011exPerIenCe IT All onlIne

steelcase.com/neoCon




Leap® seating was designed based on extensive research of the human body and how to support it. The Leap chair had been proven to provide users with exceptional fit, movement, and support. And now with Leap Plus, larger users can experience these same benefits. Leap Plus is warranted and rated to 500 lbs and offers features to better accommodate the needs of larger users.

leArn More AT sTeelCAse.CoM/leAP

leAP PlUs


Check out all the new surface material options from Steelcase:

high performance seating materials designed to meet the needs of hard working environments will soon be a part of Steelcase Surfaces. These seating upholstery fabrics are PvC-free and combine durability, cleanability and sustainability.

DesIGnTex

Now part of the Steelcase Select Surfaces program, including an extensive range of choice through new product introductions, as well as products previously recognized through theDesigntex Graded-In program.

PollACk

Eight innovative seating upholstery fabrics from Pollack have been introduced into the Select Surfaces program. The versatile Pollack textiles can be used in both contemporary and traditional environments.

MAhArAM

Maharam textiles are now available on Steelcase products around the world.In North America, as part of the Select Surfaces program, choose from two groups of textiles — one for Steelcase products and another for the Steelcase family of brands.

In Europe, the Pacific rim and Australia, Maharam is represented by Kvadrat. The Select Surfaces program includes a selection of both Maharam and Kvadrat textiles.

ACCenT PAInT

New colors have been added to our palette of Accent Paints. These trend driven colors can be used on hard surfaces to add a pop of color to any space. Canary and Sailor match colors within our popular seating upholstery fabric, Cogent™: Connect.

leArn More AT

sTeelCAse.CoM/sUrfACeMATerIAls

sAIlor

CAnAry

MAhArAM

PollACk

sUrfACe MATerIAls


noDe sTool

noDe WITh CUP holDer

besT In ClAss JUsT GoT beTTer

The node™ chair is mobile and flexible.It’s designed for quick, easy transitions between room configurations.

noDe fIve-sTAr ChAIr AnD sTool

The node chair is now available in a five-star chair and five-star stool version. Perfect for those learning spaces on campus with tables, the node five-star offers comfort without upholstery, a swivel seat and height-adjustability.

For instructor stations and laboratory applications where comfort and ability are key, the node stool adjusts pneumatically to a comfortable height for both instructors and students.

noDe WITh CUP holDer

For node chairs with a personal worksurface, a new cup holder addition offers students a place for a water bottle or coffee without taking up any usable worksurface space.

leArn More ATsTeelCAse.CoM/noDe


noDe fIve-sTAr bAse


soTo II WorkTools

As a result of research conducted over the past two years by Details and IDEO to better understand mobile work, come product solutions that welcome a user and enhance the working experience.

leArn More ATDeTAIls-WorkTools.CoM


1 MobIle CADDy

for stowing personal items and workbags.

2 lAUnCh PAD

powered and non-powered, gives users a desktop area to hold mobile devices and easy access to outlets.

3 fUnCTIonAl sCreen

combines organization and privacy. Screen offers an integrated envelope to keep frequently used items; height creates a sense of boundary.

4 PersonAl PoCkeT

a place to store files and paper materials.

5 CAble ClIP

keeps data cables where they are needed — on the desktop for quick connection.

6 PersonAl hook

a place to hang your light-weight bag, umbrella, headphones or keys.

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4

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3

1


bIvI

Designed to provide a foundation for capturing and conveying the culture of an emerging business, the Bivi modular desking system allows people to celebrate their individuality and independence — and to attract and engage employees that are best suited for the fragile ecosystem of an emerging company.


PoCkeT

Nurture’s new mobile workstation was designed specifically to support the active work of healthcare professionals by accommodating both the demands of the task as well as emerging portable tablet technology. virtually noiseless and highly flexible, Pocket’s small footprint gives caregivers the mobility and technology they need anywhere they need to go.


sebAsToPoloCCAsIonAl TAble

Inspired by the geometric play of shapes, the Sebastopol table collection consists of two perfectly matched shapes and heights which can be used to create a multitude of unique table settings that allow spaces to transform from lounge to impromptu meeting.

CG_1oCCAsIonAl TAble

CG_1 is a collection of occasional tables that are modern yet basic. This iconic table platform offers comprehensive choices of materials to allow for a dressed up or dressed down expression. The unique contrasting foot/interior leg detail allows the table to blend with an interior or make its own unique statement.


eMU PATTern

The die-cut hexagonal patterns within each piece create a unique and airy feel. When immersed in the landscape, barely sketched outlines offer visual tricks of technological beauty.


vIsAlIA loUnGe

visialia’s signature faceted profile, contrasting fabric option, and die cast base expresses a fresh alternative to the classic tuxedo lounge.


exPonenTsConferenCe

This conferencing collection offers a holistic range of

conference elements. It has an architectural design language

made up of vertical and horizontal planes in a variety of

materials offering compelling space division, service,

technology support and storage elements to support the needs

of collaborative spaces.

MIllbrAe loUnGeAnD oCCAsIonAl TAbles

Inspired by mid-century designs from from our Metro legacy from the ‘60s, the Millbrae collection includes lifestyle and contract styled lounges and a coordinating occasional table.

The collection expresses simple architectural forms with generously proportioned back cushions and upholstery. The coordinating metal framed table complements the lounge with a variety of materials, including its signature flare-coated glass and granite tops.


t h e s h o w r o o m

Work today happens anywhere, anytime. Whether you work at a Fortune 500 company or a small start-up, a hospital, school or even home. The way you workhas fundamentally changed, so the places you work need to change too. This year at NeoCon, the Steelcase family of brands offers insights and ideas for how your

places of work can evolve to support the ways people really work.

exPerIenCe neoCon onlIne sTeelCAse.CoM/neoCon

exPerIenCe


In An InTerConneCTeD WorlD, The WorkPlACe hAs To Work

hArDer, AnD sMArTer, ThAn ever before.

Optimizing real estate is a key strategic issue. It has to enhance collaboration, attract and engage employees, build brand and culture and support the wellbeing of the people who work there.

Steelcase offers the most comprehensive range of solutions, services and ideas to help create and manage the kind of workplace required today —an interconnected workplace.


Workplaces designed for an interconnected world offer the right blend of spaces and solutions to support the

ways people work.

I/oWneD exAMPles:

resident workstationsprivate offices

WeI

oWneD

shAreD

I/shAreD exAMPles:

touchdown spacesenclaves

We/shAreD exAMPles:

training roomscollaborative spaces

cafe spaces

We/oWneD exAMPles:

project team spacesshared private offices

PAleTTe of PlACes


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MerChAnDIse MArT sUITe 300

1

Access door provides easy connection to power and data. The PuCK™ enables every person to easily and seamlessly share their digital information with others.

frameone bench

CollAborATIve ProJeCT benCh

Whether you’re at the table or acrossthe globe, this project space brings teams together to co-create and innovate.


Think seating

Integrated media:scape enriches team collaboration.

media:scape



2

48" high panels provide good balance of privacyand connection.

Answer Panel

Space at end-of-run supports user needsby having tools and supplies available.

Universal storage

Personal Caddy and soft edge support user comfort and easy access to workbag.

Universal Worksurfaces

Technology skin allows for easy access to power and data.

Answer Panel

noMADIC CAMP

highly-mobile nomads need a place that makes it easy to unpack and get to work quickly, to see and be seen by colleaguesso they can network and learn from others.

reply seating


Standing height table allows quick switch from technology to marker board.

media:scape

roomWizard II allows for scheduling of space and use

of SnapTag app (see ad on page 81 for more on this app)

with markerboard space.

roomWizard II withsnapTag App

Glass skin on FlexFrame can be used as marker board.Drawers and shelves in FlexFrame support shared tools and hospitality.

flexframe workwall

3 shAreD MeeTInG sPACe

This collaborative space uses integrated technology to help meetings be more inclusive, where everyone participates and people build on each other’s ideas.

cobi stools

4

Allows workers to adapt to changing

team needs and stay connected

to each other.

frameone bench

Interactive white board allows the team to project multimedia, images, make notes and save it all with one simple click.

eno by Polyvision

CollAborATIve neIGhborhooD

This neighborhood setting keeps teammates and work materials close at hand. This “room within a room” allows teammates to innovate while having a sense of privacy from their surroundings.


“Front porch” creates seated privacy along aisle and a place to touch base withvisitors and storeteam materials. c:scape

The end-of-run in-fill adds below worksurface modesty, and a place to tuck things away. frameone

Worktools create subtle boundaries and provide power and access to mobile devices. soTo II worktools

Amia seating


5 vIDeo ChAT booTh

Get away without going away when you need to make a quick video call, Skype your teammates in distant locations or just focus for a while.

Tall panels offer visual and acoustical privacy. Answer Panels

Cushioned stool encourages short duration sessions, not all-day use. Turnstone Alight stool

Stop interruptions by booking the space in advance or on the spot. roomWizard II



6 ConTInUoUs ConneCT

This space allows resident workers to stay connected to each other throughout the day, shifting rapidly between their own project work and communicating with the team.

Easily adjustable monitor arm lets

you put your screen where you need it

and providesvisual separation.

fyI monitor arm

by Details

Open storage under the desk keeps computer bags or other personal items out of sight but closeat hand. elective elements 6

Storage provides boundaries, and a place for quick collaboration. elective elements 6

siento seating


7 DynAMIC DUo

This space offers ample surface area for piling and some seated privacy, while still providing good visibility and access to others.

Storage provides zones for active work, anticipated piling and archived documents. c:scape

Easy customization of desk top and access to power and data. soTo II worktools and c:scape

Panels provide boundaries, but maintain open, collaborative feel. Answer Panels

Think seating

8 QUICk ConneCT

Shift easily from individual, focused work to quick team meetings in the adjacent collaborative space

Collaborative seating that lets you shift postures

without any adjustments. i2i

hardworking storage acts as a boundary

between individual and collaborative spaces.

c:scape


Screens create visual privacy

when trying to do focused work, and create nearby area to brainstorm with

co-workers.

c:scape

leap seating



9 DoUble DUTy

Get work done in these individual work stations designed to help you stay focused, but stay accessible.

Layered shelves and bins help to organize and pile work in zones. Universal storage

Slatwall, marker board, and tackable skins help keep work organized and ideas visible. Answer Panels

height adjustabletable lets workers

easily change postures.

series 7 Table

Panels provide good seated privacy while still feeling open and allowing access to others. Answer Panels

leap seating


10 The ADMInIsTrATIon

Ideal for supporting administrative staff, this space helps workers focus on individual work, and staying connected to colleagues.

Strategically placedstorage protects from approaching guests coming up behind and creates a place toarray work. elective elements 6

height adjustable table encourages standing to support alternative work postures and stay eye-to-eye with visitors. Airtouch™ by Details

Low storage creates places to keep work at hand, but out of sight. elective elements 6

Think stool


11 soCIAl reTreAT

Brainstorming or networking comes easily in this casual collaboration area located by individual work stations.

media:scape mini can be placed on any surface to transform any setting into a higher performing collaborative space. media:scape mini

cobi seating


12 ConTInUoUs ConneCT

This individual space can quickly shift between individual and group work. Integrated media:scape enriches the collaborative experience.

Integrated media:scape makes sharing information quick and easy. flexframe with media:scape

FlexFrame workwall supports a variety

of shelving, storage and technology — making any wall a

harder working wall.

flexframe workwall

FlexFrame desk provides ample surface

area for 1 to 2 people.

flexframe desk

Amia seating

13

A

b

C

GeT UP AnD Move

Support worker wellbeing in a space that makes it easy to move and change postures regularly throughout the day.

eyesiteAdjustable monitor arms keeps your screens at just the right height.

Walkstation Get your blood flowing while you do e-mails or make that conference call.

series 3 table and series 7 tableAdjustable height tables encourage you to sit or stand.

soTo and soTo II WorkToolsD


A

C

b

DD

D


14 MeDIA:sCAPe TeAMTheATer™

Small groups can gather around their information in an open area where everyone can easily share their ideas and stay engaged.

Teams can share their digital information equally, quickly and seamlessly with each other. media:scapemedia well

Collaborate in a cool space that helps you change postures and perspective. media:scape lounge

Canopies create a room within a

room to minimize distractions.

media:scape

canopies


15 DeCIsIon rooM

Ideal for formal presentations, reserve this space to present your best ideas and start making decisions.

frameoneFlip up doors on the table provide easy power access to everyone.

eno by PolyvisionProject presentations, annotate and capture notes easily with an interactive whiteboard.

c:scape storageStorage shelf can hold presentation materials or coffee and snacks.

reply seating

A

b

C

D

A

b

C

D


16 effICIenT AnD effeCTIve

This private office lets you stay focused, while providing easy access to your information and favorite tools.

c:scapeWide range of storage types, sizes and locations lets you pile and file work for easy access.

i2i Collaborative seating that lets you shift postures withoutany adjustments.

leap with headrestSupport your aching neck duringa long day at work.

A

b

C

b

C

A


17 shAreD PrIvACy

Great for professors, this space allows for focused work and collaboration while maximizing the use of existing real estate.

elective elements 6Storage above and below the work surface keeps necessary documents within easy reach.

Personal leD lightSlim lighting creates a boundary and let you focus on the task at hand.

elective elements 6Technology Zone in the desk and storage allows for, and keeps wires and cords under control.

siento seating

A

b

C

C

b

A

D

D


18 Work The zone

This Elective Elements 6 modern private office is designed in zones to support different modes of work.

open storage andlayered work surfaces Provide piling spaces for anticipated work.

Cushion-top storage Provides informal seating to encourage collaborating with colleagues. Glass DoorsFunction as a place to take notes and make ideas visible.

siento seating

A

b

C

A

b

C

D

D


19 eAsy ACCess

This efficient private office helps workers sort, pile and file information with ease.

flexframe workwallvertical storage shelves keep work in sight and at your fingertips.

flexframe workwallWalls let you use every inch of space to display work

elective elements 6Channels in the worksurface and storage helps to organize work tools and provide easy access to power and data.

leap Worklounge

A

b

C

Ab

C

D

D



20 CollAborATIve enClAve

Collaborative seating and mobile caddies let workers come in and get down to business. Monitor supports information display.

i2i with tabletreorient yourself and your ideas as you change postures.

media:scape shroudCreates a refined, integrated look that provides an intentional aesthetic for flat panel displays. soTo II Mobile CaddyKeep workbags within reach, not underfoot.

A

b

C

A

b

C


21 MeDIA:sCAPe TeAMTheATer™

Co-create new concepts with local or global teams, across distances and time zone.

Ledges accommodate a second row of tiered seating enabling others to easily join the meeting, participate, and leave when desired.

Be inclusive — this efficient formation allows up to 12 people to to participate in the discussion.

A

b

b

b


22 MobIle Work zone

These workstations are ideal for workers who are in and out of the office, moving between meetings and catching up on individual work.

Efficient footprint allows for reallocating underused workspaces into collaborative areas.

Duo storage creates boundaries and a handy place to keep piles.

A

b



23 DIsTrIbUTeD TeAMs

Distance is no barrier to teams of different sizes, in different locations in this space that encourages movement and fluid co-creation.

media:scape with hD videoconferencing Connective technology enables teams to collaborate locallyand remotely.

media:scape with hD videoconferencingWide camera angles allow for full participation withlarge groups. scapeseries™ tables and cobi stools Stool height tables encourage people to stand or move naturally throughout the room.

A

b

C

C


noDe

Designed for active learning spaces, the node chair is now available in a variety of styles. Whether in the classroom, computer lab, chemistry lab or library, the node family offers seating for every space on today’s campus.

solutions for active learning


Combining the Innovative LearnLab™ design with media:scape has

helped to reshape the ways students and educators think about the

classroom. It supports three distinct modes of sharing digital content:

lecture, co-creation and group share.

media:scape™ learnlab™ classroom

lecture

• instructor presents content to the class

• content is triangulated on the eno™ and two media:scape tables

• media:scape tables are locked in lecture mode

co-creation

• teams co-create within their group

• team content is displayed at each media:scape table

• instructor content is displayed on the eno board

group share

• instructor is able to share any table’s content with the class

• shared content is displayed on the eno and two media:scape tables

• media:scape tables are locked in group share mode


At Turnstone we are inspired by the spirit of emerging companies. And we design innovative and iconic solutions that reflect their passion and independence.


At Nurture, we’re committed to fulfilling better experiences and better outcomes for patients, caregivers, and partners in care wherever care happens with research-based, insight-led design. This year is all about leveraging our research and insights with a focus on the interaction of caregiversand information.

We have refreshed the showroom with many of Nurture’s key environments while focusing on the integration of technology and how our products support the healthcare experience.

vIsIT Us or TAke A vIrTUAl ToUr of oUr sPACe AT nUTUre.CoM


Inspirations for the new ways we work.

Our mission at Coalesse is to create inspired work/life solutions that are relevant for the intensive lifestyles of today. We design solutions that enable people to comfortably work in the environment they choose, be it lifestyle or office oriented. All the while helping to lower stress as they toggle back and forth between activities to meet the demands of an extended workday. At NeoCon 2011 we are expanding our portfolio with 6 new collections that express our commitment to this vision and offer our customers more choices to inspire the new ways they work.

The MAGAzIne of WorkPlACe reseArCh, InsIGhT, AnD TrenDs

360.steelcase.com


sTeelCAse honoreD As A MIChIGAn Green leADer

The Detroit Free Press recently recognized Steelcase as a Michigan Green Leader for moving the state forward in innovation, sustainable development, and conservation.

“More than 600 nominations have been received during the two years of the program, and have been evaluated by independent judges,” said randy Essex, deputy managing editor, and director of the awards program. “The judges were impressed by Steelcase’s thorough efforts to conserve resources, particularly the new EcoCradle™ packaging made from crop byproducts, as well as the company’s thoughtfulness in working with customers, such as finding ways to reuse or recycle old furniture.”

This is the second year the Detroit Free Press has implemented the Green Leaders program. A panel of 25 independent judges chose the 2011 leaders from 265 nominations. Steelcase received the award in the “Large Businesses” category.

MeDIA:sCAPe WIns eDIson AWArD

Steelcase’s media:scape received a Bronze award from the Edison Best New Product Awards, an annual competition that recognizes innovation in the spirit of American inventor, Thomas Alva Edison. The Edison Awards chose media:scape with hD videoconferencing as a winner in the Living, Working & Learning Environments, employee and community learning spaces category.

“media:scape with hD videoconferencing represents a breakthrough in how distributed teams can collaborate,” said ryan Anderson, product manager,

integrated technologies, Steelcase. “To be honored as an innovator in the spirit of Edison is humbling and gratifying for all of us at Steelcase.”

Founded 24 years ago by the American Marketing Association, the Edison Awards is a peer-reviewed competition with approximately 2,000 voting members of the not-for-profit Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG), an association of America’s top executives and academics. The awards symbolize the persistence and excellence personified by Thomas Alva Edison, inspiring America’s drive to remain in the forefront of innovation, creativity, and ingenuity in the global economy.

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what if

yoU CoUlD PACk UP The MosT

InCreDIble CollAborATIve exPerIenCe

yoU’ve ever hAD... AnD TAke IT WITh yoU?

steelcase.com/Msmobile

the interconnected world: is your workplace ready? · headquarters (p. 12), home to many mobile...

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